GI Bill 2.0 Offers Online Housing Stipend The latest version of the Post-9/11

GI Bill -- GI Bill 2.0 -- offers expanded benefits, especially for onlinestudents. Distant learners, as they are referred to by VA policy, werepreviously excluded from receiving the living (housing stipend) stipendunless they enrolled in at least one course per term in a classroom setting.

GI Bill 2.0: Offers Online Living StipendBy Terry HowellThe latest version of the Post-9/11 GI Bill - GI Bill 2.0 - offers expandedbenefits, especially for online students. Distant learners, as they arereferred to by VA policy, were previously excluded from receiving the living(housing stipend) stipend unless they enrolled in at least one course perterm in a classroom setting. Many veterans who desired to take 100 percent oftheir classes online were upset by this rule. Some took the obligatory singlecourse in the classroom to get the stipend. Many chose not to enroll at all.

Starting next fall, Post-9/11 GI Bill eligible veterans will be able to get amonthly living stipend without having to take traditional classroom courses.The stipend for online students will be significantly different from thetraditional classroom student version. Online students will get half of thenational average stipend (average Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 withDependents). For example a full-time student who is taking 100 percent of hisor her classes online will get $673.50 a month, while a full-time studenttaking at least one classroom course will get the full stipend rate based onthe specific location of the school.

As a former online student, I can say that this is better than nothing. Infact, a school official told me that a large percentage of his studentsplanned to drop their classroom courses and attend online only due to thischange.

Of course nothing is without cost and legislation is no different. Congressis bound by a pay-as-you-go rule which means that the costs of any programlike the Post-9/11 GI Bill 2.0 must be offset by new taxes or reductions inother areas. To help cover the cost of the GI Bill reforms, Congress chose toend the practice of paying benefits during school-breaks and changed theformula for the housing stipend payment rate.

Changes to Stipend Payment Formula - Veterans currently enrolled at a rate ofbetter than half-time receive a full living stipend check. However, beginningOctober 1, 2011, the housing stipend will be prorated based on the student'srate of pursuit. For example, a student enrolled at ¾ time will get ¾ oftheir living stipend - based on the location of their school. The newprorating factor applies to online students as well.